Let's get straight to the point: The Shining is probably one of the scariest movies of all time. But you know what's actually scarier than that? Making it. We're telling you, Kubrick had his fair share of downfalls because of The Shining, and it involves our dearest Stephen King not liking it AT ALL. Check out other killer facts here for more info!
Okay, we're not saying he didn't do well as a child actor. In fact, we think it's the complete opposite! He was spectacular and convincing in every scene. Yet, did you know that his skills weren't the sole basis for his role? Well, come to think of it: There are tons A-list child stars back then who could have nailed the role in an instant. But you know what gave him an edge among his peers? Incredibly, it was the way he spoke, which was a perfect combination of Shelley Duvall and Jack Nicolson's speech patterns.
As much as we hate to admit, some of us here got real goosebumps watching that scene. And we're sure some of you did, too. No worries, we forgive you. But to be honest, that wasn't supposed to be included in the film. During the filming, Kubrick had no idea that the phrase was Johnny Carson’s popular introduction on “The Tonight Show.”
As it turns out, Warner Bros. had several complaints about the film being unnecessarily long, so many scenes had to be curtailed. Kubrick also thought the film was too ambiguous and didn't sit well with the audience. So, maybe it was for the best. Maybe it wasn't. We'll leave that judgment up to you.
Shelley Duvall got nominated for Worst Actress and Kubrick for Worst Actor. Well, we beg to differ. Try watching the film with a different lens, you know why we appreciate it so much.
Sadly, the famed writer of the novel, which the film is based on, refused to take a liking to Kubrick's vision. He also hated the casting, criticizing Shelley Duvall's character for being reduced to merely a scream queen. Oh, the tea is just too hot.
There's actually nothing wrong with recycling some outtakes from a film, especially if they were shot beautifully. And that's exactly what Ridley Scott did when he was making Blade Runner. Luckily, he got Kubrick's permission to do so. Remember those panorama shots in the film? Those were from The Shining.
When Barry Lyndon turned out to be a flop, Kubrick tried to find something that would ultimately satisfy the audience. Stacks of horror novels were given to him for his consideration, and his secretary would always hear them thrown around across the room. This only meant that he didn't like them. One day, the noise stopped. When she went inside Kubrick's room to check up on him, she found him deeply invested in Stephen King's The Shining.
Much like most horror films out there, The Shining was a very difficult one to make. Shelley Duvall could attest to this. With Kubrick at the helm, everything had to be perfect, even if it meant working 13 hours a day for one scene.
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Rank | Answers | Type | Votes | Price |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Danny Lloyd was cast because of his speech patterns | Other | 17 | Paid |
2 | That iconic "Here's Johnny" scene was almost deleted | Other | 14 | Paid |
3 | A lot of scenes had to be cut short | Other | 7 | Paid |
4 | It received Razzie nominations | Other | 4 | Paid |
5 | Stephen King was not a fan of the film | Other | 2 | Paid |
6 | Blade Runner took some outtakes from The Shining | Other | 2 | Paid |
7 | Kubrick's secretary witnessed everything from the beginning | Other | 2 | Paid |
8 | Filming The Shining was no easy feat | Other | 1 | Paid |
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